I had to get my picture taken this week. I was a past president of a social club and they put all the pictures of the presidents up on a wall at the club and they needed mine.
So what’s the deal?
Everyone, and I mean everyone, tells me that I look the same as I did in high school. No kidding, everyone says that. I say thanks but, still the same? The only difference they say is my hair is now white.
They really do say that.
When I see myself in the mirror, I know what I look like. But when I see a photo of myself, I don’t recognize that guy at all. Why is that?
Anyway, my bride was taking pictures (multiple) of me for the club. She couldn’t stop laughing so I knew something was not right. Take after take. At least 30. She’s using my phone and standing, oh, maybe 12 inches away! I know, right? Still have spots in my eyes.
What’s going on? Why so many takes? She tells me I’m just not photogenic! There are no good pics!
How hard can it be to take a picture?
And apparently it’s not the photographer, it’s me.
In fairness, she did say she wanted to be close so she could get just my head and shoulders in the shot. She did and my head now looks twice as big. So big it’s got it’s own satellite!
That reminds me of my daughters telling me I had turtle lips in my photos. What? Turtles don’t have lips!!
Or that I’m not being natural enough, smile, don’t smile, stop tensing up, open your eyes…
Or just hold that face, while the camera adjusts! Hold it!
Make up your mind already!
If I suffered from low self esteem you can see this might bother me.
But back to reality. What I see in the mirror is apparently not what everyone else sees. This is a shock to me every time I see my picture. Who is this guy? Doesn’t even remotely look like me.
So either every one, and I mean everyone, who tells me I look the same is lying.
Yes, liars all or… blind. Completely and totally blind.
Or I don’t look like I think I do.
But then there’s this: Last weekend, I ran into a couple I hadn’t seen in about a year. The husband says to me “Wow, you must be working out, you look great!”
So I tell my mom this and she says to me, “Really, What did you look like when he last saw you!”
To top it off, my mother in law sees me and says, “John, you must be putting on weight, you look bigger!” Which is exactly how I greet people when I see them, too.
The Over 70 rule applies to both of them.
What’s the Over 70 Rule? I made it up when my dad turned 70. I told him and my family that after living to be 70 you get a pass. You just don’t question an Over 70 year old. You go along.
Sounds respectful right?
Well yes, but also some of them are pretty crazy and you should just agree with everything they say. They say or do something that doesn’t make sense, well, they’re Over 70. Pretty easy. And it works!
All of which bring me back to Reality isn’t what you think.
My reality is my perception of what is real just as your reality is your perception of what’s real.
Reality is what is REAL, what is actually out there not clouded by perceptions.
And just maybe all those liars out there may be telling me I haven’t changed just to be nice. Or they want me to say they same thing about them.
I never do, I don’t lie.
So there you have it. What is Real?
I guess I may really be that older looking guy in the photo even though my mind and everyone else says I’m not.
Or next photo session, I won’t rely on my wife, I’ll just take a selfie.
JT
Enjoy the video…